'iZ o n e n d r a cm .
ASPLENIUM Linnoei Gen. PI. C r y p TOGAMIA FlLICES,
Raii Synop. Gen. H er bæ c a p i l l a r e s e t a f f in e s .
ASPLENIUM frondibus fimplicibus cordatô-lingulatis integerrimis,ftipitibus hirfutis. Lin.Sp.Pl. 1537,
ASPLENIUM Frondes Ianceolatæ, acuminatæ,bafi cordatæ, integerrimæ, medio latiores. Scop. Fl. Carn.
ASPLENIUM petiolis hirfutis, folio longe lineari-lanceolato, integerrimo, circa petiolum exfcifto.
Haller Hiß. n. 1665.
HEMIONITIS Fufchii. Icon. 294.
PHYLLITIS vulgaris. Cluf. hiß.
SCOLOPENDRIA vulgaris Tragi.
LINGUA CE R VIN A officinarum. Bauhin Pin. 350. Gerard emac. 1138. Parkinfon 1046. Raii
Synop. 116. Hudfon Fl. Angl. 384.
RADIX perennis, fibrofiflima, fufca, fibris fibrillis
tenuiffimis inftruclis.
STIPITES plures, pilofi.
FRONDES cordato-lingulatæ, longitudine pedales,
latitudine fere bipollicares, glaberrimæ, mar-
gine undulato, nervo medio inferne pilofo.
FRUCTIFICATIO. Glomera linearia, obliqua, in pagina
inferiore frondis nervo medio utrinque
feriatim difpofita, Jig. 1, 2, 3.
INVOLUCRUM. Squama linearis, bivalvis, Iongitu-
dinaliter dehifcens, Jig. 2.
CAPSULÆ numerofæ, fubglobofæ, uniloculares, pe-
dicellatæ, annulo elaftico cinScs, Jig. 5, 7,
lente aû£tæ.
SEMINA numerofa, fubrotunda, minutiffima,^. 7,
lente valde au£læ, Jig. 8.
I ROOT perennial, exceedingly fibrous, the fibres
brown, and furnilhed with other fibres,
| which are very minute.
STALK S numerous and moffy, or hairy.
| LEAVES tongue-Ihaped, at bottom cordate, about a
foot in length, and one inch and a half in
breadth, of a bright yellowifh green colour,
a°d fhining, the margin a little waved, and
) the midrib on the under fide mofly.
I FRUCTIFICATION placed in oblique lines on the
> under fide o f the leaf, on each' fide o f the
mid rib ,^. 1, 2, 3.
> INVOLUCRUM a linear membrane or cafe, of two
> valves, opening longitudinally, Jig. 2.
> CAPSULES numerous, Handing on foot-ftalks, nearly
globular, furrounded by an elaftic ring, and
j> having one cavity, as they appear magnified,
— —
0H.ii.lJ0 roundilh, very numerous and minute,Jig. 7, as
> they appear through a great magnifier, jig. 8,
This is one of thofe plants which fome botanic writers have called Epiphyllofpermaz, from producing their
ieeds on the back ot the Uaves. L innasus includes it in his clafs Cryptogamia, as neither ftamina nor piftilla
have yet been dilcovered on it. The firft appearance of fruftification that we obferve, are fome little bags or
caies, of a yellowifti or whmlh green colour, placed in rows on the under fide o f the leaves, fig. 1, on opening
of which, almoft as foon as they become vifible, we find the capfules or feed-veffels, kg. 2, very numerous,
{landing upright, and clofe together: at this time they appear of a green colour ; as they approach towards
maturity, they change this for a deep brown : the cafes then open lengthways in the middle, the two
iides, by the protrufion of the capfules, are turned quite back, and wholly difappear, Jig. o. This membranous
fubftance or cafe, may be confidered as fimilar to the calyptra in Moffes, or calyx in other plants and
ierves to fecure and defend the tender feed and capfules, which being now become ripe, exhibit a moft {hiking
proof of that wiidom which the benevolent Author o f Nature manifefts in all the works o f his creation
Each capfule or feed-velfel confifts of three parts ; firft the foot-ftalk, Jig. 4, which fupports and connefls
them to the le a f; fecondly, the jointed fpnng, Jig. 5, which nearly furrounds the third part, or cavity containing
the feeds, Jig. 6, 7. 1
The feeds being ripe the cavity containing them is forced open by the elafticity o f the jointed fprinir and
the feeds fcattered and thrown to a confiderable diflance ; one half o f the cavity remains connefted to one
end o r the lpring, and the other half to the other end, jig. 7.
Some of the capfules being fooner ripe than others, difcharge their feed fooner, fo that it is a confiderable
time before they all become empty. On applying an entire row before the microfcope for the firft time I was
immediately llruck with the motion that appeared in them, and afterwards found that the warmth o f mv
breath occahoned a great number o f the capfules to keep continually difcharging their feeds, fo as almoft to
give them the appearance of fomething alive. The clofenefs o f the capfules one to another, affording me but
a confuted idea of their llruaure, I feparated them with the point o f a penknife, from their conneftion to the
leat, and again placed them before the microfcope, which then gave me a very different and after a little
exammauon, a very clear idea o f their ftruSure ; many appeared with the feeds difcharged, feveral in the aft
ot difcharging them, and fome as yet entire; it frequently happened, that while I was intently looking at one
which I expected would open, at the inftant o f difcharging, it would be carried out o f my fight by the llrene-th
and elafticity of the fpring; and it was not till after repeated trials, that I was able clearly to obferve
the manner of their opening. The feeds are very numerous, and fcarcely vifible to the naked eve • when
magnified, they appear of a roundilh figure, and full o f little projefting points.- , ’
Both G r e w and S w a m m e r d a m have given figures on this fubjed; but thofe o f S w a m m e r d a m are bv
much the moft natural. As a great deal o f the fatisfaftion in viewing objeas of this kind, depends on the
kind, as well as goodnefs of the microfcope, that none o f my readers may be difappointed in the experiments
nev may make with this entertaining inftrument, I may inform them, that the microfcope I make life of
IS that which is fold in the (hops by the name o f E l l i s ’s Aquatic Microfcope, and which is made for this Dur-
to°hU Ma'ePftytlCU ar ^ ^ a c c u r a c >'’ b 5' G e o r g e A d a -m s , o f Fleet-Street, Mathematical Inftrument Maker
This plant may be found in feed from September to November, in Ihady lanes and on walls and is
frequently found growing withm-fide of old wells. It is met with but rarely about town, though cultivated
in moft of our botanic gardens The leaves dre fubjeft, from a richnefs of foil, to be much divided at their
extremities, and very much curled at the edges.
convuV“ e0dffofoersPlant' aDd ‘S recommcnded R a y> f e n bis own experience, as a good medicine againft